I am 47 years old. I work long days so I only have 3 days a week to train. Mon-wed-fri. How would you advice me to train to gain mass on so few days. I have lifted very heavy for many years so my knees and shoulders are beginning to ache. Any advice?Thank you?

If you are natural, you shouldn't be training more than 3 days a week anyway...if you are natural...

I am 47 years old. I work long days so I only have 3 days a week to train. Mon-wed-fri. How would you advice me to train to gain mass on so few days. I have lifted very heavy for many years so my knees and shoulders are beginning to ache. Any advice?Thank you?

Personally I train 5 times a week. If you are having joint aches you should back off the weight a little and employ supersets, tri-sets, giant sets, etc... to stimulate the muscle. Lee Haney used to always say stimulate, don't anihilate. I find that this method of training spares the joints and gives you pumps and muscle growth you wouldn't believe. You also will spend less time in the gym. My split is as follows:Monday:Chest/Bi's/Tri's/CalvesTuesday:LegsWednesday:Back/Delts/TrapsThursday:Chest/Bi's/Tri's/AbsFriday:Legs/CalvesMy whole workout is an hour or less.

1)Of the people who've asked me do I use steroids, I'll assume most are just asking out of curiosity and not with any demeaning intent. For example, I teach high school kids. Most of what they know about steroids comes from the 6:00 news. They see my physique and wonder if I take them too. If they still don't believe me I just take it as a compliment.2)I honestly don't know if there is a limit on the size of a natural bodybuilder. When it comes to genetics you have extremes at both ends of the spectrum. I know guys from my high school weightlifting class who were pretty big and strong naturally. If you wanted to get your name on the top 10 bench press wall, you had to bench at least 300. None of the guys I went to school with could afford steroids, or supplements for that matter. Their diets were bad. It was all genetics and hard work. My wrestling team looked like they all could have stepped on a teenage bodybuilding stage and done well.3)Mike Ashely - Yes Yohnnie Shambourger - Yes Mike Lockett - Who knows? I'd like to believe he is.

Herc, I am also a high school teacher ( chemistry and physics) in the ATL area.I judge in NPC shows in the area, so I can't compliment you too much or some might think I have bias for you, should you win a show around here that I judge hehehe.I was getting a bit bummed out on the overall scene due to the EXTREME drug use I see in many of the hardcore guys.I stumbled about your thread , her at getbig and find it breath of fresh air, to say the least.Guys like you prove, that a bodybuilding can build a great physique WITHOUT a boatload of drugs.I also like the fact that you have a good education and a sound , stable career.Are you doing the Team U again this yr? Howard

Personally I train 5 times a week. If you are having joint aches you should back off the weight a little and employ supersets, tri-sets, giant sets, etc... to stimulate the muscle. Lee Haney used to always say stimulate, don't anihilate. I find that this method of training spares the joints and gives you pumps and muscle growth you wouldn't believe. You also will spend less time in the gym. My split is as follows:Monday:Chest/Bi's/Tri's/CalvesTuesday:LegsWednesday:Back/Delts/TrapsThursday:Chest/Bi's/Tri's/AbsFriday:Legs/CalvesMy whole workout is an hour or less.

Herc, I am also a high school teacher ( chemistry and physics) in the ATL area.I judge in NPC shows in the area, so I can't compliment you too much or some might think I have bias for you, should you win a show around here that I judge hehehe.I was getting a bit bummed out on the overall scene due to the EXTREME drug use I see in many of the hardcore guys.I stumbled about your thread , her at getbig and find it breath of fresh air, to say the least.Guys like you prove, that a bodybuilding can build a great physique WITHOUT a boatload of drugs.I also like the fact that you have a good education and a sound , stable career.Are you doing the Team U again this yr? Howard

Thanks for your compliments. I am doing the Jr USA this year instead of the Team Universe. I would like to use this show to gauge what improvements need to be made before thinking about doing Nationals in November.

Thanks for your compliments. I am doing the Jr USA this year instead of the Team Universe. I would like to use this show to gauge what improvements need to be made before thinking about doing Nationals in November.

Smart move doing the Jrs if you are thinking of the nationals which are in our backyard of ATL this November .Good luck, Howard

Hey guys thanks for the support you've given me in this thread. Well today is the day that I depart for South Carolina for the Jr USA. I anticipate being 7-11 pounds heavier this year with better conditioning than last year. This is all thanks to my trainer and gym owner IFBB Pro Jonathan "Jay" Rowe. The intensity of my workouts is insane, and its really paid off. for so long I've trained alone and haven't really been able to push beyond my perceived limits. Now that I train with him and my training partners I have taken my physique to another level. There are now several other pros whom I have exposure to at my gym which is a great motivator. Roc Shabazz is Jay's training partner. I get to talk to Leo Ingram just about everyday. We have a couple of female pros as well, Carmella Cureton and Kim Buck. I'm surrounded by great people, so I have all the motivation anyone can have in one place. I'm making this my year to make a run at the Nationals.

Hey guys thanks for the support you've given me in this thread. Well today is the day that I depart for South Carolina for the Jr USA. I anticipate being 7-11 pounds heavier this year with better conditioning than last year. This is all thanks to my trainer and gym owner IFBB Pro Jonathan "Jay" Rowe. The intensity of my workouts is insane, and its really paid off. for so long I've trained alone and haven't really been able to push beyond my perceived limits. Now that I train with him and my training partners I have taken my physique to another level. There are now several other pros whom I have exposure to at my gym which is a great motivator. Roc Shabazz is Jay's training partner. I get to talk to Leo Ingram just about everyday. We have a couple of female pros as well, Carmella Cureton and Kim Buck. I'm surrounded by great people, so I have all the motivation anyone can have in one place. I'm making this my year to make a run at the Nationals.

Baby Herc

I will be at the night show finals, I will be cheering for you herc.Howard

Compared to your early pics posted above, your chest looks less full and striated at the recnet jr USA than it does above. Overall you have a nice flow and line to your physique, but to be honest you looked a little flat and not as full as you could be.Good luck,, and do the nationals !

OK herc here it goes,u looked good kid nice lines,ur clean should be proud of that accomplishment to be national level, and place.yeah a bit flat but shape carried well,guy that won was fuller and thicker due to using he had a bit of gyno,he a harder to all due to what he used.but you are the best u can be clean,at the end of the day what else can you ask for?